SnapShot: The Regulatory Genome

Enhancers switch genes on and off in response to a variety of intrinsic and external cellular signals. They are the cornerstone of gene regulation and the most pervasive constituents of the regulatory genome. Sequence polymorphisms in enhancer DNAs are a major source of population diversity and predilection to disease. To view this SnapShot, open or...

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Structure of a Hallucinogen-Activated Gq-Coupled 5-HT2A Serotonin Receptor

Roth et al. reveal structurally how psychedelics, including LSD, psilocin, mescaline, and various N-BOH analogs, mediate their therapeutic and hallucinogenic effects by binding to and activating their molecular target, the serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptor coupled with G-protein Gαq.

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Origin and Function of Stress-Induced IL-6 in Murine Models

(Cell 182, 372–387.e1–e14; July 23, 2020)

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The Mind of a Mouse

Large scientific projects in genomics and astronomy are influential not because they answer any single question but because they enable investigation of continuously arising new questions from the same data-rich sources. Advances in automated mapping of the brain’s synaptic connections (connectomics) suggest that the complicated circuits underlying...

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Multimodal Analysis of Composition and Spatial Architecture in Human Squamous Cell Carcinoma

(Cell 182, 497–514.e1–e22; July 23, 2020)

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A Metabolic Bottleneck for Stem Cell Transformation

Although oncogenic mutations predispose tissue stem cells to tumor initiation, the rate-limiting processes for stem cell immortalization remain unknown. In this issue of Cell, Bonnay et al. identify enhanced electron transport chain activity as a critical determinant of this process, establishing metabolic reprogramming as limiting for tumor initiation.

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Paolo Sassone-Corsi (1956–2020)

The untimely death of Paolo Sassone-Corsi at the age of 64 on July 22nd has left both science and humanity diminished. Best known in recent years for his work on circadian rhythms, “Stop all the clocks,” the opening words of W.H. Auden’s “Funeral Blues,” have never seemed more appropriate.

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cAMP Signaling in Nanodomains

Cyclic-3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is an ancient second messenger but organizing signaling selectivity on the nanoscale is poorly understood. Examining transport of a new fluorescent cAMP probe, Bock and coworkers observe “buffered diffusion” and establish phosphodiesterase activity can organize cAMP nanodomains, while Zhao and coworkers find...

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Longitudinal Isolation of Potent Near-Germline SARS-CoV-2-Neutralizing Antibodies from COVID-19 Patients

(Cell 182, 843–854.e1–e12; August 20, 2020)

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Prokaryotic Argonautes Function beyond Immunity by Unlinking Replicating Chromosomes

Eukaryotic Argonaute proteins strictly mediate RNA-guided RNA interference. In contrast, prokaryotic Argonautes can utilize DNA guides to target complementary DNA sequences to protect their hosts against invading DNA. In this issue of Cell, Jolly and colleagues demonstrate that Thermus thermophilus Argonaute additionally participates in DNA replication...

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